Re: Saving to Floppy Disk under OS/2

[Robert Holmgren holmgren@xxxxxxxx]

Reply to note from A. Joseph Ross Sat, 28 Feb 1998

> XyWrite 4.017 for DOS under OS/2 Warp 3...

> ...whenever I call up and edit a file from the floppy
> disk, and then try to store the edited file on the floppy disk, I get the
> error message "Unknown Unit". The only way I can store the edited file on
> the floppy disk is by first deleting the original file. With the original
> file gone, I can save the edited file to the floppy disk.

"Unknown unit" is a DOS error, passed by the operating system to XyWrite. This
is a major, not minor, error, implying a failed interrupt 21H function call.
I've never seen this error, but I think that the "unit" in question is
generally an unsupported device, e.g. a disk drive. It could be that your A:
drive is going south; mine fail from time to time... have you always had this
problem, or did it just arise? What version# of DOS are you using at home --
PC-DOS or MS-DOS or what? Maybe OS/2 is looking at your media and not liking
something about it, possibly the way files are listed in the FAT table. For
example, if your home version of DOS supports lower case letters in the
filename, OS/2-DOS might not like it, or might not know how (or whether) to
overwrite it when you try to amend the file. An unsupported cluster size might
do it too (although I should think that would generate "Invalid media", not
"Unknown unit"). Have you tried doing a CHKDSK A: /F on the floppy, to see
what is reported? Trying formatting your floppy on the OS/2 office machine,
taking it home to write on it, then bring it back to the office for read/write,
to see if it's a FAT table issue. What fix pack level is OS/2 operating at?
(If you're not at FP32, ahhhh... you know, Warp 3 is old, and some things have
changed... why not go to http://www.cincyteamos2.org/masterupdate_b.html and
bring it up to date? it only takes an hour or two or three, and what is time
for if not playing with computers? Seriously, use the RSU -- Remote Software
Update -- method, and it's a hands-off breeze. The html page probably says
something about updating "via the Web".)

If you resolve this problem, please report back. I'd like to know, for the
record.